Family History Episode 3: A Love Story... Starring George Jacob Slaugh, Mary Magdeline Ivory, and Robert Croft

I can't decide if this is a sad story or a fantastic love story or what, but I will lay out the details and let you decide for yourself.

On March 21st 1828 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania the Doctor was called to the house of John Jacob Slaugh and his wife Magaret Hammond Slaugh. To them that night was born a son who they named George Jacob Slaugh. The story goes that immediately after George Jacob was born the doctor was called to the house next door to the home of Jesse Ivory and his wife Rachel Smith Ivory. On that same night was born Mary Magdeline Ivory.

Mary and George were not only next door neighbors, but became great friends in childhood. These two born within crying distance of each other on the same day would later marry each other.

George worked as an engineer on the railroad and helped support his family living in Philadelphia. While working for the railroad George had some issues with his hand, something that Doctor's called "White Swelling", and that they pronounced incurable. Mary told George to visit the Mormon's and that they could heal his arm. He met with some of the Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints who gave him a blessing. His arm was healed. This event led George and Mary to be baptized and join the LDS church. George and Mary had 5 children. two of them, Isaac and Sara, caught Typhoid fever and were pronounced dead by local Doctors. Again the couple called upon the assistance of the Elders of the church. Blessings were administered to the two children and both were miraculously brought back from the dead and regained their health.

In Philadelphia they had a good and comfortable life. Mary's family was wealthy and they had all they could ever want. But George felt the need to gather with the saints in Utah. He left to Utah to help settle things and prepare for his wife and children to join him. While there he became a teamster and crossed the plains three times to help immigrants make their way to Utah. He started to miss his wife and asked her to bring the kids and join him in Utah. She decided that things were nice in Pennsylvania and she did not want to leave her family. After a few years she decided they were better off separating.

Mary got remarried to Robert Croft. They had a son and named him Benjamin Croft. George also got remarried to Martha Nerdin. They also got pregnant, but during child birth Martha and the baby both died. George again contacted Mary and let her know his love for her and his desire for her and the children to join him in Utah. This time Mary was persuaded and decided that George had sacrificed so much to be with the saints in Utah that it was time for her to sacrifice also. She left without the consent of her husband Robert and took her six children to Utah. The trip was long and grueling. Benjamin was just a baby and Mary walked and carried him nearly every step of the way. At last her and George were reunited. They live in a small house with Georges brother and his family. The roof was dirt, and it was a hard pioneering life. Mary never did become comfortable with this life style and often longed to return to her family and their wealth in Pennsylvania. He mother would often send expensive luxuries to them, but Mary had to get rid of them because they reminded too much of where she longed to be. She even left one day with the intent of returning to Pennsylvania, but George caught up to her and begged her to stay. Eventually it all became to much for her and the rigors of pioneer life caused her to have a stroke at the age of 59 and she passed away.

One more cool story from George Jacobs life. He was at one point a body guard for Brigham Young and when Johnston's army came into Salt Lake he was put in charge of training a bunch of young boys and preparing them to fight against the army. W. W. Phelps asked him "George, are you scared?" George replied that he was to which W. W. Phelps responded "Never fear Brother Slaugh, there will not a gun be fired. I've seen too many armed hosts in the Heavens on our side."

This story reminds me of something that you might read in a Nicholas Sparks novel. A husband and wife born on the same day at the same time in the same place. They grow up together get married, have their struggles and separate momentarily. They get back together and the wife especially gives up everything just to be with the man she loves. This is Nicholas Sparks stuff for sure.

You might be thinking that George Jacob Slaugh is our so many greats grandfather. He's not! Robert Croft, Mary's second husband, is our third great grandfather. Their only child Benjamin, whom Mary carried across the plains to Utah, is the father of Great Grandfather Hyrum Slaugh. Benjamin was adopted by George and thus we receive the name Slaugh in our family history, but technically we are related to the Croft's and not the Slaughs. Not much is known about Robert Croft and his family.

Anyway interesting story. I like to think of it as a great love story, but I wish I could know more about poor Robert Croft who lost in this battle of love for the great Mary Ivory.

Mary Magdeline Slaugh

Family History Episode 2: Pioneer Day: Starring: John Taylor, Joseph Davis Mathews, Anna Eliza Telford Baker

Here is some more great history for y'all. I figured with it being pioneer day on the 24th I would share some stories about some of our pioneer ancestors. We have a thick history of pioneer ancestors that crossed the plains in wagons or pushing handcarts, but we don't necessarily have a lot of stories from all of them. We all know about John Cameron and the amazing stories of his daughter Catherine Cameron, so I figured I would share some stories maybe we don't all know. Then again maybe you all do know them and I am the only one who didn't know.

Let me start with our 4th great grandfather John Taylor. No it is not the third prophet of the church John Taylor, but he was good friends with Joseph and Hyrum Smith. In fact he was one of Joseph Smith's body guards and a member Zion's Camp. It was during Zion's Camp's gathering at the Burkett farm to battle against the Missouri Militia before a large storm and Cholera stopped the battle before it could happen, that he met his wife. He would go on to marry Eleanor Burkett and they had 12 children. It is these Taylor's that Taylor Mountain here in Vernal is named after. Here is one of my favorite stories about John Taylor. Because of his close friendship with Joseph Smith, John was often arrested on false charges. One particular time he was imprisoned for 6 months. While he was in jail his wife Eleanor ran into Joseph Smith on the streets and asked him when her husband would be released from jail. Joseph replied "Your husband can walk out of that jail as easy as I can turn my hand." Around that same time at the prison John was inspired as to how to escape. The guard had left for the day and left his wife to watch over John at the prison. She was busy doing chores when the door of the cell opened by itself. John slipped his shoes off and walked out unseen and unheard. He even walked past the guard dog that was sleeping on the floor. Once he got outside he began to run barefoot through the snow until he reached the Mississippi River. The river was frozen over which allowed him to cross safely. Once he reached the other side the ice immediately broke away so that the guards and mobs could not follow him. His feet were frozen, bloody and swollen, but he had escaped and returned safely to his family.

The next Pioneer ancestor that I would like to talk about is Joseph Davis Mathews. Another one of our 4th great grandfathers. Joseph was born in Wales and later married his wife Ann Roberts in Wales. It was here that they converted to the church. Like many converts at the time they came to America and made the long trek across the plains. We don't have a lot of information about their journey to Utah, but we do know that Joseph was one of the hunters for his company. He talks about waking up one morning and seeing a giant herd of Buffalo. He says their wagon train traveled all day and never saw the end of the herd. It was after he arrived in Salt Lake that the story I want to share happened. He was a laborer and was put to work on building the Temple and Tabernacle. At one point during construction there was a load of rock being lifted by a block and tackle and was going over his head. At this point the rope broke and the entire load fell right on top of Joseph. Those that were there were sure that such a crushing blow would have killed him. They hurried and dug him out and found that he was still alive, but was obviously in pretty bad shape. They took him home and two of the Apostles came and gave him a priesthood blessing. He was healed almost immediately and the next day he was back to work on the Temple. He also helped on the construction of the St. George Temple. 

Finally here is a story about our 3rd great grandmother Anna Eliza Telford Baker. Many of you might remember her daughter Sarah Lavinna Baker, or as only Carl and I got to call her Grandma Vinnie. It was Anna's husband Alonzo Baker that was the pioneer and traveled the plains to get to Utah. Anna was born in Utah, but lived a long pioneering life anyway. They had 12 children. In 1888 with their 7 oldest children, the family moved to Star Valley, Wyoming. The oldest child was 11 years old and the youngest just a baby. Grandma Vinnie was 5 at the time. For the first winter they lived in an overturned wagon and a tent. The next spring her husband Alonzo and their oldest son (10 years old) got jobs working on the railroad. This took them away from the family for most of the year. Anna refused to live in those conditions again for another winter. She had learned some carpentry skills from her father and so she went to work. Her and her oldest daughter Harriet retrieved all the shell stone for the foundation of the cabin. They then cut down all the logs for the cabin and she even dove tailed the ends to make better connections. A sophisticated and laboring part of carpentry that wasn't always used in cabin making at the time because although it is better quality it was not as quick. Her and the children built the two room cabin. She put a lot of quality work into the cabin and it was the first cabin in Star valley to have shingles. Because of the excellent workmanship of the cabin it is still standing today and it is the oldest cabin in Star Valley, Wyoming. The Baker Cabin is now a tourist stop just off the highway in Etna, Wyoming. 

I'm thinking we ought to do a road trip to see the cabin. Who's in?

The Alonzo and Anna Baker Family: Grandma Vinnie is on the far left of the picture.

The Baker Cabin in Etna, Wyoming

Family History: Episode 1: William Brewster

Hey Family, I have been studying a bit about our family history and some of the cool characters that came before us to help make us as awesome as we are. I'm a little bit different about family history. I want to know the stories behind the name. I know for religious purposes it is important to find the names and get temple work done, but I really enjoy the stories. So I thought maybe it would be a good idea to restart this blog and we could do some family history stories that then could be saved or archived or printed off etc. Stories about mom, dad, grandparents would be cool just so that they are recorded. I have recently studied some of our further back relatives and thought that with us recently having celebrated Independence day, that I would share about one of our own founding father ancestors. William Brewster was a passenger on the Mayflower and the religious leader for the puritans in the New World.

William Brewster was born in 1568 in Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England. While studying at Cambridge he became a religious reformist and entered the service of William Davison, who was held responsible for the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots. Davison was arrested, so William Brewster moved to Holland because the Dutch were more sympathetic to the reformists. He became one of the religious leaders of the separatists in Leiden, Holland. While there he teamed up with one Thomas Brewer to print, publish, and sale religious books in England. For this Thomas Brewer was arrested and William Brewster went into hiding for 2 years. During that time the puritans had secured enough money to procure the Mayflower. The puritans wanted William Brewster to be their religious leader on the journey and in the New World. William and his wife Mary and their two youngest sons Love Brewster and Wrestling Brewster were all on the Mayflower. They also were given charge over two other children that belonged to one Thomas More.

William Brewster lived to be 76 and was well loved by the pilgrims. He was their religious leader for nearly 24 years in the New World. He was granted some land in the Boston Harbor and four of the Islands are named after him. Clearly his efforts and desires for religious freedom helped establish this great country and it is pretty awesome to be a descendant of such a influential person.

You can read more about him and his life at these websites.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Brewster_(Mayflower_passenger)
http://mayflowerhistory.com/brewster-william/

Here is an excerpt from Jennie and Jessie's relative and political leader of the Pilgrims William Bradford.

Here is our line of ancestry to William Brewster